Dry-kiln.



J. 11. RIPLEY. DRY KILN.

APPLIATION FILED JULY Z1, 1910.

978,209. Patented De@.13,191o.

GX R5, 1

By Z

1, J. R. RIPLEY.

DRY KILN.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 21, 1910.

978,209. 4 Patenned'ne. 13, 1910.

3 BHEETS-BHEET 2.

J. R. RIPLEY.

DRY KILN.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 21, 1910.

Patented Dec. 13, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

10m.. bm,

V no JAMES R. RIPLEY, OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.

DRY-KILN.

Specification of Letters Iatent.

Patented Dec. 13, 1910.

Application filed July 21, 1910. Serial No. 573,008.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES R. RIPLEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Memphis, county of Shelby, State of Tennessee, have inventedcertain new and use- ,ful Improvements in Dry-Kilns, of which Athefollowing is a specification, reference being had therein to theaccompanying drawlng. i

This invention relates to a dry kiln and particularly to improvementsupon the construction shown in my Patent #877,736,

and the novel features thereof 4defined by the appended claims.

In the drawings-Figure 1 is a top plan of the kiln; Fig. 2 is a sldeelevation thereof with the side walls removed; Fig. 3 is a verticalsection on line 3 3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a detail section on line 4 4 ofFig. 2 and Fi 5 is a detail of one of the draft flues.`

ike numerals of reference refer to like parts in the several igures ofthe drawings.

The numeral 10 designates the drying chamber of the kiln4 which may beofany desired construction or configuration and disposed with itscoperating parts within a suitable building for that purpose. Extendingthrough the roof 11 of this chamber is a centrally disposed airconducting ipe 12 having discharge nozzles 13 dispose 1n oppositedirections and preferably elongated to1 distribute the air for the widthof the ki n.

At the opposite ends of the kiln, air conductin pi es 14 extend throughthe roof thereo and) are'provided with similar discharge nozzles 15,each directed toward the longitudinal center of the kiln. The pipes 12and 14 are mounted to reciprocate upon fixed air conducting pipes 16 and17 respectively, and the nozzles of these pipes are each provided withguide rods 18 extending upward through the roof of the drying chamber toguide the movement of the pipes and nozzles and to prevent lateralmovement thereof. This arrangement of nozzles comprises oppositelydisposed air distributing means and these are adapted to be raised andlowered in alternation b any means desired. A desirable form ofY suchmeans is the lifting cables 19 which extend from the pipes 14 upwardover sheaves or pulleys 2O and 21 and thence downward into connectionwith the central distributing pipe 12 at 22. By this means, when eitherthe central or en`d pi es are raised, the other is lowered, thus proucing Ian alternation of the blast upon the material. For the purpose ofapplying power for the raising of the pipes, cables 23 extend from thepipe l2 over bearing pulleys 24 to a suitable source of power. T hesecables may be connected yby a crossbar 25 from-which the power cable 26extends over a bearing pulley 27 to a pivotally mounted crank arm 28.This arm is connected by a itman 29 carried by a driving gear 30 whicreceives power from any suitable source, for instance a belt 31 gearedthereto through the shaft 32. The air conducting pipes 16 and 17communicate with any desired source of heated air under pressure, forinstance the heating chamber 33- which may be provided with a heatingcoil 34 and communicates at 35 with a blower or other device forproducing air under pressure. The air distributing pipes are restored totheir lowermost position by their lweight when the cable connectionpermits of such movement and for the purpose of counterbalancing thisweight, cables 36 extend upward from the pipes 14, thence over guidepulleys 37 and are provided at their lower ends with weights 38.

For the purpose of producing a draft through the drying chamber and of'removing the moisture laden air, flues 39 are disposed at. each end ofthe kiln and communicate with the upper portion thereof. These fluescoperate with the blast from the nozzles 13 and the discharge or blasttherefromv .and are provided at each end may be controlled by thedampers 40 which also regulate the air pressure Within the dryingchamber. For the purpose of coperating With the nozzles l5, lateraldrafttlues 4l are disposed Within the roof of the chamber with dampers42. These flues are open at the sides opposite the nozzles 15 as shownat 43 in Fig. 5.

The material to be dried may be introduced into the kiln in any desiredmanner, for instance by means of trucks 44 adapted to travel upon tracks45 mounted Within the chamber l0. These tracks are formed in sectionsand coperate With carriers 46 mounted upon rails 47 and carryingcoperating track sections 48, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The trucks 46,When Withdrawn from the kiln, bring the track sections 48 thereon intoalinement With coperating sections 49 disposed outside of the kiln andin` a loading and unloading structure of' any desired character. Undersome-conditions, it is desirable to introduce steam or moisture to thematerial being dried and for that purpose, a pipey 50 is provided Whichhas communicating branches 51 extending into each of the pipes 16 and17. Such connection can also be used for introducing steam in case -offire Within the drying chamber. The

vkiln may also be provided With side Walls or doors 53 which are movablefor the purpose of introducing'or removing material from the kiln. Theends of the drying chamber are also provided With dooiis or closures 54adapted to be opened for access thereto.

The kiln is adapted for drying any character of material by the passageof a draft of air thereover which is distributed so asto contact withall portions 'of the material to produce an even drying and is thereforeparticularly` desirable for drying` lumber, Wooden articles, soap, orlaundried goods. The material lto be dried' is placed upon the trucks inthe loadingcompartment and is then moved upon the carriers and by themtransferred to the tracks Within the drying chamber. When in alinementWith these I tracks, the trucks may be moved on to the tracks of thechamber and thus utilize the full capacity thereof. When thus disposed,the doors or other closures are placed in closed position and the draftof heated air introduced through the oppositely disposed distributingpipes Whose elongated nozzles distribute the air in a horizontal planeextending across the chamber. These pipes and nozzles are continuouslyraised and loW ered in alternation so that a draft through the materialis produced, first in one direction and then in the opposite direct-ion.This alternation of draft is assisted by the ues adjacent the center andends of the chamber which coperate with the nozzles, directing a blasttoward them and these llues may be controlled by dampers to secure thedesired action of the air upon the material.

. After the drying is effected, the trucks may be removed fromthechamber in any de-- sired manner, such as'shift-ing them to one endthereof upon the` tracks Within the chamber While freshly loaded trucksare introduced at the opposite end. This can be effected When thecentral distributing pipe is in raised position, as shown in Fig. 2. Theconstruction is particularly adapted for use in a long kiln Where themoisture laden air collects at the point farthest removed from the blastand the material Would be less quickly and unevenly dried. Thearrangement of nozzles and draft iues permits a thorough circulation anddistribution of air to the material and removes all moisture laden air.The arrangementalso permits the introduction of moisture to the materialto prevent the too rapid vdrying of the portion thereof directly exposedto the air blast before the remainder has properly dried and permitstheuse of a low degree of heat which prevents injurious leffects in lumberand other material dried.

The number and arrangement of nozzles may be varied in accordance Withthe capacv ity of the kiln or the material to be treated and theoperating mechanism may be mounted and inclosed in any suitable manner.

Having described my invention and set forth its merits, what I claim anddesirey to secure by Letters Patent is-` 1. In a dry kiln, a casing, airconducting pipes, oppositely disposeddistributing devices carried bysaid pipes and movable vertically Within said casing, and means foralternately moving said devices.

2. In a dry kiln, a casing, air conducting pipes, oppositely disposeddistributing devices'carried by said pipes and movable verticallyvWithin said casing, and means for automatically and alternately movingsaid devices.

. 3. In a dry kiln, a casing, air conducting pipes, oppositely disposeddistributing devices carried by said pipes and movable vertically Withinsaid casingand means for simultaneously devices.

4. In a dry kiln, a casing, air conducting pipes, oppositely disposeddistributing devices carried by said pipes and movable vertically Withinsaid casing, means for alternately moving said devices, a track disposedintermediate of said devices, a carrier movable laterally of saidtracks, and a truck adapted to be shifted by said carrier.

5. In a dry kiln, acasing, air conducting pipes, oppositely disposeddistributing devices carried by said pipes and movable verticallyWithinsaid casing, means for alternately moving said devices, a trackdisposed and alternately moving said intermediate of said devices. acarrier movable laterally of said tracks, a truck adapted to be shiftedby` said carrier, and a loading and unloading track outside of saidcasing and adapted to coperate with said carr1er.

6. In av dry kiln, a casing, air conducting pipes, oppositely disposeddistributing devices carried by said pipes and movable vertically withsaid casing, means for alternately moving said devices, and draft fiuesdisposed opposite the discharge from said devices.

7. In a dry kiln, a casing, fixed air conducting pipes, movable airpipes mounted upon said fixed pipes and provided with distributingnozzles, and a connection between said movable pipes to effectanalternating movement thereof. I

8. In a dry kiln, a casing, fixed air conducting pipes, movable airpipes mounted upon said fixed pipes and provided with distributingnozzles, a-connection between said movable pipes to effect analternating movement thereof, and means for counterbalancing one of saidmovable pipes.

9.l In a dry kiln, a caslng, fixed air conducting pipes, movable airvpipes mounted upon said fixed pipes and provided with distributingnozzles, a connection between said movable pipes to effect analternating movement thereof, means for counterbalancing one of saidmovable pipes, and means for guiding the reciprocation of said movablepipes.

10. In a dry kiln, a casing, fixed air conducting pipes, movable air pies mounted upon said fixed pipes and -provi ed with distributingnozzles, and a cable connection extending from one of said movable pipesto the other.

11. In a dry kiln, a casing, fixed air conducting pipes, movable airpipes mounted upon said fixed pipes and providedwith distributingnozzles, a connection between said movable pipes to effect analternating movement thereof, a draft fiue at the upper portion o f saidcasing having an opening opposite one of said nozzles, and a draft flueat the upper portion of said casing coperating with the `other nozzle.

12. In a dry kiln, a drying chamber, fixed air conducting pipescommunicating therewith, sliding conducting pipes mounted upon saidfixed pipes, and oppositely disposed elongated d1stributing nozzles uponsaid sliding pipes dis osed within said chamber and movable re ative toeach other.

13. In a dry kiln, a drying chamber, a fixed air conducting pipecommunicating therewith, a sliding conducting pipe mounted uponsaid-fixed pipe, a distributing nozzle carried by said shding pipewithin said l chamber, a cable extending from said sliding the upperportion of said chamber and prol vided with an opening in its side wallin a parallel plane to said nozzle.

15. In a dry kiln, a drying chamber, air distributing nozzles mounted toreciprocate in a vertical plane centrally of said chamber and disposedin opposite directions, air distributing nozzles disposed at theopposite ends of said chamber for reciprocation in a vertical plane anddisposed toward said central nozzles, and means for reciprocating saidnozzles in alternation.

16. In a dry kiln, a drying chamber, air distributing nozzles mounted toreciprocate in a vertical plane' centrall of said chamber and disposedin opposite irections, air distributingnozzles disposed at the oppositeends of said chamber for reciprocation in a vertical plane and disposedtoward said central nozzles, means for reciprocating said nozzles inalternation, draft flues disposed at opposite ysides of said centralnozzles and provided with an inlet opening opposite the end nozzles, anddraft fiues disposed at the opposite ends of said casing `and beyondsaid end nozzles.

17. Infa dry kiln, a drying chamber, air distributing nozzles mounted toreciprocate in a vertical plane centrally of said chamber and'disposedin op osite directions, air distributing nozzles disposed at theopposite ends of said chamber for reciprocation in a vertical plane anddisposed toward said central nozzles, cable connections between said endnozzles and central nozzles for reciprocating them in alternation, and acable connection from said central nozzles to a source of power.

18. In a dry kiln, a drying chamber, air

distributino nozzles mounted to reciprocate in a vertica plane centrallyof said chamber and disposed in opposite directions, air distributingnozzles disposed at the opposite ends of said chamber for reciprocationin a vertical plane and disposed toward said central nozzles, cableconnections between said end nozzles and central nozzles forreciproeating them in alternation, a cable connection from said centralnozzles to a source of power, and counterbalancing weights having cableconnections to the end nozzles.

19. In a dry kiln, a drying chamber, air distributing nozzles mounted toreciprocate in a vertical plane centrally of said chamber and disposedin opposite directions, air distributing nozzles disposed at theopposite said track, and a' carrier forA said track 10 ends of saidchamber for reciprocation in a mounted for movement laterally of saidvertical plane and disposed vtoward said, centrack.

tral nozzles, cable connections between said In testimony whereof I aliXmy signature end nozzles and central nozzlesfor reciproin presence oftwo witnesses.

eating them in alternation, a cable connec. JAMES R. RIPLEY.

tion from said central nozzles to a source of Witnesses:

power, a track extending longitudinally of CHAS. SEAMAN, said chamber7 atruck adapted to travel upon DONALD CAMPBELL.

